July 27, 2015
Expecting: airport authority finally may have a ‘birth’ date
It’s been a long gestation — longer, even, than that of an elephant — but it appears the new regional airport authority that will take over management of Gerald R. Ford International Airport may be “born” in late August, as a Kent County official put it. County Administrator/Controller Daryl Delabbio said at a meeting last […]
Kent County delays dispatch consolidation
The executive committee of the Kent County Board of Commissioners has tabled a proposal from the Kent County Dispatch Authority to pursue a fully consolidated county-wide organization for taking 911 calls and dispatching first responders. Curtis Holt, chair of the KCDA and city manager of Wyoming, said in a July 6 letter to Kent County […]
Michigan statutes are getting same-sex marriage updates
With Michigan’s same-sex marriage ban overturned, there are several statutes within Michigan’s legal framework that need to be updated to bring the state’s laws in line with the U.S. Constitution. Richard McLellan, chair of the Michigan Law Revision Commission, last week told the Michigan Civil Rights Commission that his organization would be identifying all the […]
Street Talk: Cyber security pros ready for action
Cyber security professionals will be forced to perform under pressure during a West Michigan Cyber Security Consortium event on Wednesday at Grand Valley State University’s DeVos Campus in downtown Grand Rapids. During the competition, the Blue Team will be tasked with defending the virtual town of Alphaville from cyber-attacks launched by two Red Teams. The […]
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Change Ups: Children’s museum marks 18th anniversary
Grand Rapids Children’s Museum is celebrating its 18th anniversary with an animal-themed Birthday Street Party July 31. The event will reflect a mini-version of what the museum has to offer by featuring animal mask making, a bug matching game, bubble snakes, fish bean bag toss, snowcones, animal tattoos and more. The event is free but […]
Michigan retailers’ sales and forecasts on the upswing
LANSING — Michigan retailers’ sales rebounded in June and expectations remained strong for the rest of summer, according to the latest Michigan Retail Index, a joint project of Michigan Retailers Association and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Most retailers saw sales increase in June after a dip in May. The current-sales component of the […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds BOZYM, Michael C. et al, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Smith's East Plat Of Brower Lake No. 1, Lot 54, $283,200 NORTHWAY, Thomas F. et al, Huntington National Bank, East Grand Rapids, 33-7-11, $425,000 ASSELTA, R. Tony Trust et al, Huntington National Bank, Vinkemulder's Sub., Lot […]
There is no easiest — or best — way to make a sale
When I’m asked, “Jeffrey, what’s the best way to make a sale?” (and I’m asked it all the time), what the salesperson is really asking is, “What’s the easiest way to make a sale?” Easy answer: The easiest way to make a sale is lower your price to a point that you make no profit. […]
HIE reaches participation milestones
A Grand Rapids-based Health Information Exchange continues to grow, as medical practices, providers and organizations connect with the network and leverage clinical data solutions to improve coordination of patient care. Great Lakes Health Connect announced July 20 the community-based network not only surpassed a goal to have 1,000 medical practices participating in its closed-loop referral […]
Lawmakers need to come together to fix roads
We have been spinning our wheels on road funding in Michigan for years. The Michigan Legislature and public have debated and considered a multitude of road funding options in hopes of finding the perfect solution. As proposals and years have gone by, our roads have gone from poor to embarrassing and are now at a […]
Understanding a family’s impact on business value
Nearly all family businesses are created with the intention that the business will grow and be successful, generating value for its owners, employees and community, well beyond the lifespan of its founders. The family ownership group should recognize that, after they retire or move out of the business, the business entity must continue to survive […]
‘Drowning in testosterone’
Women in Finance, a new support group formed by the Association for Corporate Growth Western Michigan, is on a mission to “expose the challenges” and empower more women leaders in the financial professions. The group’s inaugural event is a luncheon and panel discussion Aug. 19 at Watermark Country Club in southeast Grand Rapids. Joani Gill, […]
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Inside Track: Crafting a long and successful career
Ray Shelgosh thought a light sweater would be all he would need for a quick mid-April interview in Grand Rapids. Shelgosh was flying in from Little Rock, Arkansas, on April 13, 2006, to meet with Notions Marketing CEO Herb Lantinga about a potential job. It was snowing and freezing cold. “I remember calling my wife […]
County’s consideration of change in airport management deserves support
Kent County, and especially Gerald R. Ford International Airport, are fast approaching a monumental change that could provide a boost to all regional businesses. The Kent County Board of Commissioners is expected to hold a public hearing, likely Aug. 27, to weigh any objections to the county’s creation of a regional airport authority to take […]
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Conference center expands
There’s now more space for corporate events, weddings and other events in Grand Rapids. The Crossroads Conference Center, 6569 Clay Ave. SW, is finishing up an expansion that nearly doubles its size. The one-story, 4,000-square-foot center, located off U.S. 131 and M6 next to the Holiday Inn Express and Suites Grand Rapids, which shares the […]
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City’s venues attract name performers, throngs of visitors
A collaborative effort put forth by the entire city is the main reason Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place and DeVos Performance Hall frequently rank well ahead of similar venues in other cities. The three facilities regularly are named to “top” lists from across the globe, often beating out venues in cities much larger than Grand […]
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Quite an experience
With one great disruptive idea, could Grand Rapids be the next Austin? Doug Small, president of Experience Grand Rapids, thinks so. Small returned a couple of weeks ago from a conference held in Austin and attended by the nation’s destination marketing agency leaders, and the experience left him inspired and excited. He said he is […]
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Glamping resort opens in northern Michigan
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) If your idea of camping involves more than a tent and the cold, hard ground, a new “glamping” resort that opened earlier this year in northern Michigan might be right for you. Glamping, which is a combination of the words “glamorous” and “camping,” describes a type of luxury camping […]
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Piecing the puzzle together
A West Michigan-based research effort hopes to raise a minimum of $50,000 to fund what could be the next step in finding a cure for multiple sclerosis. Agent Z Project is a grassroots medical research initiative launched by a multidisciplinary team to cure autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis by identifying environmental triggers. It is […]
